Pokerball Rules

A full rack of standard 15 pocket billiard balls racked at random with no preset order. The game requires 2 - 6 players (3 is the best). Each player is dealt 7 cards from a full poker card deck (52 cards). Each player is responsible for protecting their hands throughout the course of the game. Card to Ball representation is as follows, Ace = 1 ball, 2 = 2 ball, .....Jacks = 11 ball, Queen = 12 ball, King = 13 ball. The 14 and 15 rotation balls are considered neutral. The object of the game is to run your hand out. For example, if you have a hand of 2 Queens, 2 Kings, 1-4, 1-6, and 1-8, your objective is to pocket the 12, 13, 4, 6, and 8 balls. The player who is shooting discards his hand as his ball(s) are pocketed. If the above player for instance, pockets the 12 ball, he immediately discards the pair of queens. This game is primarily played for money at a predetermined amount per card left in your hand at the conclusion of the game.

After the cards are dealt, the opening break belongs to the person who won the previous game. Order is based upon cards held at the conclusion of the previous game. The person hanging on to the most cards go last. In the event of a tie, high card is used to set the order. The most common break is a soft break somewhat like a straight pool break where the on coming player has no real shot. The player who is shooting is the ONLY player who can discard as the matching balls are pocketed. For example, if player A misses a 3 ball and player B comes to the table and decides to sink the 3 ball (probably because player B also has a 3 in his hand), player A must hang on to his 3 until his turn again. If there is a winner established before player A returns to the table, player A's 3 card will count against him. In the game, ONLY balls which match cards in the shooter's hand may be pocketed. For every ball pocketed, the shooter must discard the matching card(s) immediately. There are only 2 neutral balls (the 14 and 15) for which the shooter can pocket to obtain position or as a defensive shot at anytime during the game. Combinations are legal as long as only the shooter's held balls are made. The shooter continues to shoot only after a legal or neutral ball is pocketed.

A scratch constitutes a single foul which results in loss of turn and drawing 1 card from the unused deck. Scratches are pocket scratches, failure to contact an object ball, not driving a ball to the rail after contact. etc. Pocketing a legal ball and scratching is a double foul which results in a loss of turn and drawing 2 cards form the unused deck. Pocketing a ball which is not held by the shooter is also considered a double foul. Pocketing a legal ball and a non legal ball on the same shot also constitutes as a double foul. This happens with frequency on break out shots. Players must be very aware of how clusters will react upon break outs as the penalties are severe. When a foul occurs, the shooter who commits the foul may not discard even if the a legal ball is made. The shooter must hang on the the card until his turn is up.

When a shooter steps to the table, it is the shooter's responsibility to discard all cards that are out of play (balls that other shooters have pocketed which match the shooter's held cards). If the shooter fails to discard out of play cards at the conclusion of the shooter's turn, he must wait for his turn again to discard. If all the cards in the shooter's hands have been made prior to the shooter's turn, the shooter automatically wins when his turn comes up. During the course of the game, the amount of cards held is public knowledge as players have to respond to count checks by other players.

The game is won when there are no more cards left in the shooter's hand. This may come as a result of making all the held balls or getting to the table with all held balls out of play. At this time the winner collects his wins according to the number of cards held by each of the losers. The order of the next game is set based on number of cards left in the player's hands. The fewest go after the break (held by the winner) and the most go last. Tie's are broken by dealing high card.

There are different and numerous strategies in this game most hinged on the players involved, skill levels, etc. As in any card game, bluffing comes into play as a shooter who doesn't have an open shot may not elect to make contact with one of his balls (a bluff) but perhaps positioning a legal ball or locking up another player's options.